Op-Ed: A peek at mortality

I’m not only glad I was able to see the final Tragically Hip concert. I was honoured. The newspaper I work for asked me to take pictures at the iconic concert for the world to see. Nearly 7,000 people showed up to Officers Square to see The Tragically Hip’s final concert.

Crowds cheered, swayed, and some shed tears. Watching in amazement as Canada’s poet laureate gave what some speculate to be his last performance. You see, Gord Downie, their lead singer, has been diagnosed with a brain tumour thats incurable.

While the crowd watched, he delivered a nearly three-hour set, sending emotion out through the microphone. Even stopping to shed tears during Grace, Too.

I am moved, not only by his strength, but his humour, his honesty, his pure raw emotion as he embraced his band mates and the Prime Minister.

Each and everyone of us faces adversity. And while some of us may feel alone sometimes, Gord reminds us, we are not.

There are simply two choices that Gord Downie had: to stop, stop singing, stop performing, stop sharing his talent with Canadians, accepting defeat for something very understandably defeating. Or, he could preserver, sing from the depth of his soul, pour his emotion, anger, hate, sadness, happiness into his music, powering what I would argue to be Canada’s biggest icon.

Downie choose to preserver, to move forward. He choose to stand in front of thousands, millions across the nation, and use the strength so many of us feel we don’t have, and give the performance of a life time.

I feel, as a sick person, I understood that need. I understood where, in the face of it all, there was a need to continue. A need to show the world who I am, one last time, to take what’s inside of me and belt it out into a microphone.

Tears do not mean weakness, and while the crowd feel silent as Downie wiped the tears from his face, we saw the pure power of what mortality means.

Mortality for many of isn’t on the forefront of our minds. We don’t think about it every day. But last night, as you look at Gord Downie, arms folded into himself, wiping away the tears, you saw the true meaning of mortality. That, in a split second, the world can change. Everything can disappear. And while that’s deeply depressing, we must remember, Downie took morality in his hands, unknown, and he said not today.

Not today; today, I sing.

And he did sing. My aunt was 49 when she lost her battle to cancer. Seemingly, the world is darker place without her in it. Gord, in a unexplainable way, made it a little brighter. He showed us, you can take life by the balls, and bring an entire nations to its feet.

The Tragically Hip, Canada’s band, was cradled in the arms of every Canadian last night, soothed into the greatest goodbye; until we meet again Gord.

Theatre St. Thomas gears up for the future

by Nathalie Sturgeon

The lights go down, the music builds and the crowd leans forward. The first face with a pale white face, and bright red cheeks appear. Nothing can be heard but the sound of the voice as they begin their dialogue. It is a flagship extracurricular club that has 45 years of experience under its belt. The club has under gone some major changes in the past two years but they aren’t slowing down.

Trudeau and the FLQ was the most recent Theatre St. Thomas performance. It had 68 parts played by 16 actors, and included more than 600 cues.  All five viewings of show were sold out.. But what is the future for this after-school club?

Robin Whittaker, the Theatre St. Thomas artistic producer, said he has high hopes for the club going forward.  

“It’s definitely batting above it’s weight class, for sure, among Canadian university campus clubs,” he said.

Whittaker says they aim for variety, and variety is what they have produced. Since joining the club, Whittaker has directed Carnation Voyage, William Shakespeare, Taming of the Shrew, - this year - Trudeau and the FLQ.

Theatre St. Thomas is more then just a club. Despite the changes the club retains that sentimental value that many students past and present hold dear.

This club wasn’t always a beacon of hope and prosperity though.

Ilkay Silk was the faculty advisor for Theatre St. Thomas for 36 years. Almost two years ago, her position was eliminated, and as a result the club’s future became unclear.

The club became unsure of what might happen with the removal of the permanent positions.

Silk had told the university she would retire that year, but the decision not to replace her was upsetting.

“I’m perplexed. Of course I’m upset. That goes without saying, Silk told The Aquinian in 2014. “But the emotions are very layered. One is perplexed. Deeply, deeply not understanding the decision. So deeply. I don’t get it.”

The change came about due to budget changes that happened at university.

Tuition hikes and cut backs were put into place in order to clear the deficit that the university faced.

A petition circulated among the students to have the position renewed but at the end of the 2013-14, year the position was still cut.

Despite the removal of Silk’s position the club aims to work together with the St. Thomas community in their future projects.

This year’s Theatre St. Thomas president echoed Whittaker’s sentiments. Sharisse Lebrun, a fourth-year St. Thomas University said the club works well with the drama department.

“It’s really important to have here at STU, and it compliments the drama concentration and allows students to apply what they learn in the classroom,” she said.

Both Whittaker and LeBrun said that TST also allows them to be creative in the ways they explore different topics.

LeBrun said even though she isn’t in the drama concentration, the club allows her to get that experience that she can’t get through her degree.

“It not only compliments the drama education at STU, but all the education at STU,” she said.

But the club isn’t just able to feature their community and current events that happen around the world. It also provides a sense of family.

A St. Thomas graduate who was a member of Theatre St. Thomas since her first year, Kelsey Colford knows exactly what this family means to each member of the club.

“In my first year I was terribly homesick and didn’t really feel like I had found my community at St. Thomas,” she said. I decided to audition for Oh! What a Lovely War. I didn’t get in.

Despite that the club felt like a home away from home for Colford.

“They give me a place to go where I forgot my homesickness. It gave me mentors and friends who encouraged me to better myself. It gave me a purpose even on the difficult days. Those people were relying on me to show up and be a part of something,” she said.

“They were more than a cast and crew, they became friends and a chosen family.”

I sent an email to Ilkay [Silk, the club’s former faculty advisor] asking if there was any way I could assist the production. She welcomed me with open arms and introduced me to my second family,” said Colford.

***

It seemed like the loss of position and Silk would hurt Theatre St. Thomas in a big way until a solution could be reached. But thanks to past, present and future contributors the club remains as strong as it ever was.  

Even though LeBrun said, she wasn’t involved in the club her first year because of another program, she said friends who we’re involved before the changes are happy with the trajectory of the club.

“TST is in good hands, she said. “You guys are doing not only high quality work with talented actors and crew, but it’s work that is challenging and further the students and engaging the community.”

***

Thriving and bringing people together looks like something Theatre St. Thomas members want to see happening in the future.

Whittaker said the club’s future is always changing, and they take no particular direction right away. He said it’s important to keep the club inclusive to everyone.

“We always involve first, second, third and fourth0years… TST is really open to everyone,” said Whittaker.

Kelsey Colford said she knows these changes were necessary but hope that club remains as it always has been.

“I hope the administration continues to support TST as it currently exists. That TST maintains the caliber of performance going forward and that if it remains open to all the university population,” she said.

Colford said she found her second home in Theatre St. Thomas and says the club will always have a special place in her heart.

The club’s growth is a constant drive for the people who hold TST dear to their hearts, including LeBrun.

“I’m graduating this year, and I’m not worried at all, I’m excited to see the work that comes out of TST,” she said.  

Going forward, Whittaker said he hopes to incorporate more plays that are Canadian and, are relevant not only locally, but globally along with student works.

Whittaker will soon be teaching a script writing class. He said he expects it to be included in Theatre St. Thomas’s future line.

“Definitely incorporating a venue for new writers, and Canadian plays when it makes sense to do them, definitely introducing our audience to new styles as well as new playwrights and new plays, these are the things we hope to do.”

A spotlight of change, success and hope shines through the Black Box at St. Thomas University for all to see.

I'm here

Blogging hasn't actually been my thing lately. For the past year or so I've gone off the blogging grid.

For a number of reasons. School, mainly. Work, too. I've since joined the fast food life and it's treating me, well... like a fast food job.

So many things have happened in the months I've been away from my blog. I will be updating journalism pieces I've written, as well as much more.

I've experience many new things, and I've had to over come some challenges. But, hey, that's life.

Meet Meredith, my newest addition:

She's quite the little monster. But I love her nonetheless, we're hoping to make more additions to our fur family in the future. She's energetic and she likes carpets. Licks herself often, and runs into doors. Deficits yet to be determined. 

I've actually travelled. Yes, shocking, I know. Not far, not as far as some but I've been to places I thought I would never go. 

This summer was a summer to rival all summers. I went to PEI and Nova Scotia. And they were both experiences that have given me a tremendous insight into the things I enjoy doing. 

I spent the weekend in my first hotel stay in P.E.I. and I spent several weekends in Nova Scotia. As my significant others parents live there.
I also went on hiking adventures. Something I have never done before. It's exciting. It's challenging, because I do not have the "shape" I require to do long hikes. Shame on me.
But I did a couple of different trails this summer and a national park where I'm from.

This was a hike in Moosehorn and Laverty Falls. A long hike. 8km, from start to finish. But we got some amazing views.

Photo credit for the second one goes to my significant other. He takes amazing pictures. The scenery is amazing.

I should note that there is someone new in my life and he is amazing! Couldn't have asked for a better person in my life. He makes me very happy, but he doesn't like social media so much. So I'm going to respect his wishes regarding that.

School is going well (there will be journalism posts to follow), but yes, it takes a lot of work to be a journalism student. A lot of time an effort goes into putting together journalism video. A lot of work goes into putting together radio and print.
I've got one more year to my degree and their are a lot of changes coming in the future.

I don't like change. At all. But, here's to the future and all it holds.

I most certainly had to unbutton my pants..

It's been a hectic month. I've completed 3/5 midterms so far this month. I'm currently taking a break from preparing for my fourth on the block. I did well on my first two, I know I didn't do well on my third. (circumstances given, I hate the course). I go two A's!

Yay, go Nathalie!

The above reasons are why I haven't been filling you with the wonderful bits of my life.

I went home for the Canadian Thanksgiving dinner. It was a lovely meal, and I most certainly had to unbutton my pants for the last piece of pumpkin pie and tea.

I, then, returned to the vast city! Relieved to be back and spending more time focusing on my studies. Family tends to pull you in a million directions on holidays. I get nothing done.

I spent my first night back, the night of Thanksgiving Monday, with my boyfriend. I downloaded some of my favourite Halloween movies. Baked some Halloween cookies. It was a spook of a time.

My grandmother who is known for taking hand me downs and then forcing them upon all the grandchildren has most certainly paid off for me. Being that I love things that have a history, and have a hipster like look to my appearance love when she hauls out items like this sweater...

Macklemore would be a proud soul.

I recently bought some things to warm up the feel off my bedroom. Make it more like my home.

I also made a small purchase for myself!

Also, I have great news for all of you!

I finally managed to land myself my first ever ACTUAL job interview. It went fairly well, I'm currently waiting on an application. And lets cross our fingers I get the job, shall we? I. need. it. 

Love, 
~N